Never Let Go
by Fire The Canon
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione might be out fighting against Voldemort, but Ginny is at Hogwarts fighting her own battle. For Essa.


_**Written for EssaTheTwerp for the Fic Exchange of Epic Proportions. I used GinnyLuna and Trustworthiness as my inspiration**_

_**Written for musefan292's The Battle of the Houses. 100 points. Write up to 2000 words using the prompt 'daydreaming' using any canon character from your house (Ravenclaw)**_

_**Written for SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff's Organisation Boot Camp using the prompt 'difficult'**_

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**Never Let Go**

Death wasn't really something I ever thought about. I was just a kid after all. Barely sixteen, yet here I was, fighting a battle that wasn't even mine to be won.

After my brother's wedding, and my other brother, Harry and Hermione left for some mission Dumbledore had sent them on, things became tense. I heard Mum crying almost every night over Ron's stupidity, and Dad telling her over and over again that it would all be okay.

Percy still refused to speak to any of us, and Bill was too happy with his new wife to worry about much else. After George's accident and the wedding, the twins had gone back to their shop to try and get business going again. They barely came home unless they needed Mum to do their washing, or their flat was out of food.

That just left me. Ginny Weasley. The youngest and only girl in the family. Not old enough to go out on my own, but too old to be mothered and babysat like Mum wanted me to be. If my brothers could go out and do as they pleased, then I wanted to as well.

"There's no safer place than Hogwarts, dear." I was on my way up to my room when I stopped out the front of Mum and Dad's bedroom. They'd been arguing a lot lately, mostly over me and whether or not I should go back to Hogwarts.

"It's not safe anymore, Arthur. Have you not heard the reports?"

"It's still safer than here."

"Not for her."

Most nights I would keep walking past, pretending not to have a heard them. But tonight I was going to let them know that I was no longer a child. I was old enough to make my own decisions.

"I'm going back," I said, pushing the bedroom door open and startling the pair of them. Four eyes turned to me, boring into me. But I stood my ground. "I'm going back," I repeated.

"Ginny… dear… this is not up to you."

Anger bubbled inside of me, my fists clenching into small balls as I fought to control the words that were longing to escape me. _Not up to me_. Of course it was bloody well up to me. It was _my_ life.

"I'm going back," I said for a third time, and this time I didn't wait for a reply. I marched up another flight of stairs, slamming my door closed with more force than necessary. My already packed trunk sat at the foot of my bed, my clothes laid out for the next morning. Even if my parents prevented it, I would find my way to board that train tomorrow. They'd have no say.

…

I did manage to find away. Apparent Dad had managed to talk Mum around overnight, and when I woke at seven, I found her bustling around the kitchen in an overly cheerful mood. Without a word, she sat me down at the table and piled bacon and eggs onto my plate, informing me that I best eat a lot so I didn't starve on my way to Hogwarts.

I obliged. I wasn't going to argue with her today.

King's Cross Station was a lot quieter than usual. I went through the barrier, remembering the hustle and bustle the platform usually was. Today, however, there were very few people.

_No Muggleborns_, I thought sourly as I moved to the train. And most likely others had been taken out, just like Mum had wanted to do with me.

I saw that she was now starting to have second thoughts, so I said a quick goodbye to both of them, then boarded the train, searching for people I may know. With fewer people, it was easier to locate them.

There they were, all in one compartment. Neville, Luna, Seamus, Anthony, Zacharias, Terry and Michael. There were others, too… all the ones who'd braved returning.

I grinned.

"Hi, Ginny," Neville said, waving to me, then indicating that I take the empty seat next to him. Luna sat opposite me, a vacant expression on her face. It appeared she hadn't even noticed I had joined them.

"I was wondering if you'd come at all," Neville said after a moment's silence. "So many haven't returned."

I gave a curt nod. "Mum was against it, but Dad and I talked her around," I informed him and the others. "I'm here to stay."

Neville beamed. "That's good news, because we were thinking… Hogwarts isn't going to be the same this year with Snape as Headmaster. We think we need to restart the DA. I'm sure there'll be plenty more wanting to join now."

I nodded, not needing anymore convincing. Neville was right. We knew more than most others. It was our job to protect those who weren't able to protect themselves. That was our contribution to the coming war. That was my part in all of this.

"I think that's a wonderful idea."

We all looked to Luna, who had broken from her daydream to look at both of us curiously. "It'll be nice for everyone to meet again." And from inside her robe pocket she extracted the coin that had been used almost two years ago for the DA meetings.

I smiled. Only Luna would keep that on her.

…

And meet we did. It began as weekly meetings where we'd all gather in the Room of Requirement practicing spells to use if we needed them. Those who were unaware of Harry's disappearance demanded for him to return, and it was hard to explain that we didn't know when he'd be back.

Soon, though, they accepted us as their teachers. Myself, Neville and Luna. We were the ones they looked to in times of trouble. We were the ones who organised everything, sent messages to all members, new and old, informing them of meeting times.

None of us were Harry Potter, of course, but we offered the safety and protection they needed.

We were heroes in our own right.

"It's quite marvellous that they do as we say, isn't it?" Luna asked one evening after we sent everyone back to the common room. We were just finishing gathering everything together.

"How so?" I asked of her. "They're scared. When you're scared, you'll do anything." I thought of this whole year so far. We'd brought back the DA because we'd been scared, hadn't we?

"It's strange, that's all."

I smiled after the Ravenclaw, shaking my head. Even in a time like this she failed to see a negative side. She didn't show any fear, or concern to the fact that Professor Snape was now Headmaster of this school.

She was simply amazed by the fact that people regarded her highly.

Our meetings soon became daily, and eventually to the point we moved our belongings into the Room of Requirement. Every night we would hear of another torture, another student being kept in the dungeons. Students were being made practice the Unforgivables on the younger ones. We stopped attending classes, stopped roaming the corridors during the day.

The Room became our home – our protection from what was supposed to be one of the safest places in the world. We became a family, and I came to love and trust every single one of them as I did my own family – some of them maybe even more so.

We worked together, we saved people. While Harry was out there with Hermione and my brother, protecting us from a horrible fate, we were protecting those who needed protection immediately. We all had beatings because of it. We were all caught on some occasions.

But they were never able to find our hiding spot. Not once. And we know they looked.

On one such evening – right before Christmas – there was a scuffle by the entrance. I sat up in the small bed that I had been lying in, listening. Luna was due back soon, but not this soon. Michael and Terry were hiding out all night.

My heart beat increased as I waited. Someone was trying to break in, I knew it. I drew my wand, ready as a figure stumbled through the door. Bruised and battered, weak and bleeding, I still recognised her.

"Luna!" I cried, jumping to my feet to tend to her. "What happened?"

"They found me trying to get a first year out." Her voice remained calm, cool, like it didn't bother her too much. "That poor first year."

I placed an arm around her, guiding her to my mattress. Neville joined us with the first-aid healing kit the Room had provided us with. It had potions and bandages, and everything else we may need to treat the wounded.

"Are they okay?" I asked her.

Luna shook her head. "He is still there," she said softly as Neville dabbed at a cut just above her forehead.

"We'll try again later," I answered soothingly. "Don't worry, Luna. You tried."

Luna nodded, but didn't say anything. I could tell this was bothering her. We'd had many failed attempts before, but never on Luna's watch. She was always so careful.

"Be thankful they let you escape," I then added.

I sat with her for some time after that. We just sat. We didn't speak. Words were unnecessary between us. I was me, and she was Luna. When were words ever needed?

Eventually, I felt her hand shift underneath mine – the hand I hadn't even realised I was holding – and she smiled at me; that lovely, kind, fearless smile.

"Thank you, Ginny," she said.

"What for?" I wanted to know.

"For not letting go."

"Oh." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

It had been so long we had spent cooped up in this little room together, and I knew everyone inside out. I knew how Neville became worried when someone didn't return when they should have. I knew that Seamus Finnigan was lost without Dean. I knew that Terry and Michael couldn't be in the same room together for too long, or they would kill each other.

I also knew that although she gave a front that she was fearless, even Luna got scared sometimes. Her eyes shone with how grateful she was that I was beside her, how thankful she was to have me there. She needed me, just like I needed her.

"I'll never let go," I said to her after a moment. "Never, Luna. I promise."

And I gave her hand one more squeeze.

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_**That was fun, writing something a tad different. I feel like I've been cramped up with Romione lately it's been nice to break free and try something new. I'm quite happy with this, and I hope you liked it too, Essa. **_


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